Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-11-04
THE FUIKERSON-YOST
MARES NEST.
THE FACTS GIVEN BY THE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
OF DELEGATES.

We give below detailed statement,
from Hon. Charles E. Stuart, Speaker
of the House of Delegates, of the pas
sage of the bill legallzing the subscrlp-
ton by the town of Goodson to railroad
the bill on which Hon. Jacob Yost has
harped In his attacks on Mr.. Echols' re-
cord. Every Democrat and Republican
ought to read 1t:
To the Public:
A recent letter of Colonel Fulkerson neces
states reply from me concerning matter I
supposed settled in May last.
During the year 1885 the people of the town
of Goodson voted upon the question of a sub
scription to the South Atlantic and Ohio Rail
road Company of 1926 900: The vote stood
231 for and none against the subscription
within 80 of the registered vote. February 10,
1887, the same people voted an additional
subscription of $25, 900 to that road by vote
of POP for and against it. Some claim was
asserted that the subscription was in excess of
the amount fixed by law, and Senate Bill 1913
was introduced by Senator W. F. Rhea to
legallze the subscription upon certain condi-
tons. The bill passed the Senate came to the
House, and uron motion was placed upon the
calendar May 21st-tooo-thirds of the House
voting in the afirmative-Colonel Fulkerson
being present that day, Of the act itself "a
tifying the issue of said bonds I need only say
that it carefully guarded the interests of the
town, and cite the following from it:
provided, that none of the provf-
railroad company shall have subscribed 800 900 to
the capital stock of company who shall have
erected BLAST furnace of not less than LOTIONS
daily capacity, and have the same In operation;
and provided further, that the said bonds shall
not be delivered to the said railroad company un-
til the said furnace Is erected and in operation
upon the line of the South At antic and Ohio rail-
road as now located within the corporation limits
tle Town OF G9ons3n or within the county o Of
the corporation line Of the town OF Goodson;
whereupOn the said bonds shall be delivered to the
said railroad company"
During the legislative day of May 20, 1887,
the clerk advised me, as Speaker, that it was
not possible to enrol more bills than had. al
ready passed, and I SO informed the House,
having no power to prevent further legisla-
lation if the House desired it.
The House then adjourned until Tuesday,
May Oath, at II A. NJ. The House was
called to order on the day and at the hour to
which it adjourned. How many were pres
ent I do not know, but the point of mo quo
rum" was not made by either side.
At 11:15 Mr.. Hay moved a recess until
11:45. Shortly after IL received the fol-
lowing telegram:
Unanimous desire Of our people here that Sc ate
without fail. WILLIAM F. RHEA
Senator Rhea, equally with Colonel Fulker-
son, represented the people of Goodson.
Attorney General Ayers also showed me a
telegram from DR.. Bailey, urging the passage
of the bill. I was then engaged in signing 3
large batch Of bills to go to the Governor.
Immediately upon receipt of the telegram,
asked the clerk TO have Senate Bill 373 en-
rolled, 80 that should the House pass the bill,
it might go at once to the Governor. This was
done, the bill was called up by me, was pass
ed, and in the Governors hands and probably
signed before II o'clock. The hands of the
clock were turned back for two purposes
namely, first, that the Committee on Enrolled
Bills might report; second, that the Governor
might be notified that the General Assembly
was ready to adjourn.
In accordance with the custom of wears. [
moved an extra compensation to the officers,
janitor, and pages of the House. I would do
so again. No constitutional vote was neces-
sary to pass such resolution; it was simply
order to the Clerk to issue his warrant up
on money already appropriated to meet House
expenses. The men 20 whom it went are
hard-worked, are at the beck and call of
every committee and each member night and
day, and it has always, therefore, seemed
proper to divide amongst them the small sum
allowed by this and similar resolutions. Re-
publican and Democratic Houses have alike
agreed to this
AS say above, the hands of the clock were
turned back for the purposes indicated, and
l do not suppose that in all the history of
this country, in Congress or in the State leg
islatures, an instance can be cited where it
was not done.
I violate no confidence when quote from
Senator Rhea's letter to me of date June g.
1887, as follows: Il sincerely thank you for
your action in the matter" Ii. e., Senate Bill
373 land I thank you in the name of our
people; for 1 can positively assure you, and I
speak from accurate information, that your
action is approved and applauded by almost
the entire population of this town, who want
to carry out in good faith their obligations to
this company, which has done and is doing SO
much for our town."
With the further statement that did not
know the nature of Senate Bill 373 until I
called it up, and that I had no interest in it,
Isubmit this statement of facts as | remember
them to you. CHARLES E, STUART.
Alexandria. Va, October 25, 1887.